The Church People-Workers Solidarity (CWS) decried what it described as the resurgence of authoritarianism in the Philippines under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
“Two years in power, [Marcos, Jr.]has proven to be virtually indistinguishable from his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, and his father, the late dictator Marcos Sr.,” said Catholic Bishop Gerardo Alminaza of San Carlos, chairperson of CWS.
The group issued the statement on the eve of the 52nd anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law under Marcos Sr.
CWS raised concerns about the continuation of repressive policies initiated by Duterte, including the Anti-Terror Law (ATL) and the operations of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), which it criticized for “red-tagging” workers, union leaders, and human rights defenders.
“The ATL and NTF-ELCAC paved the way for significant human rights issues in the past two years, which include extrajudicial killings, indiscriminate detention, torture, and enforced disappearances, among others,” the statement read.
CWS also condemned what it called the extravagant spending of public funds by the Marcos family on foreign trips and lavish celebrations, contrasting this with the severe economic challenges being faced by ordinary Filipinos.
“Today, with the Marcoses back in power, we are once again witnessing blatant squandering of public funds… in the midst of dehumanizing poverty,” the statement said, pointing to rising inflation, low wages, and the increasing cost of basic commodities.
CWS expressed alarm over the president’s refusal to allow international human rights investigations, particularly those initiated by the International Criminal Court, interpreting this as an attempt to maintain the culture of impunity that has persisted since the rule of Marcos Sr.
“Church people and workers together are challenged to live out our prophetic vocation by defending the weak and standing up for the powerless and those who are silenced,” the statement read.
